Parhelion
by Rainy Jaded Meadows
Summary: Ichigo asked Orihime to make time for him after Rukia's wedding but what did that mean? Ichigo wants to be more than friends with Orihime, who already thinks Ichigo will never want more. They will go through a lot of misunderstandings, college life trouble drama, and doubts until they finally find their happy ending because this is IchiHime.
1. Prologue

Prologue

I was going to tell him. Honest, I was. It was all perfectly planned in my mind. On the last day of high school, I was going to confess.

But the moment I was behind him, staring at the back of his head, I could feel my heart pounding in my head. My mind was in panic mode, telling me to grab his sleeve, to pull him back, to stop him before he walked out the gate. I managed to move my hand, but when I realized his shirt was between my fingertips, my mind went blank. My stupid brain wouldn't comply with the rest of my body.

He turned around, in what felt like slow motion, and his warm brown eyes met mine. I gasped. No words would come out.

My heart seemed like it was trying to fly away. I gripped my skirt with my other hand and I knew I couldn't do it. I knew I couldn't watch that small smile on his lips slip away. I couldn't watch as his demeanor towards me change and become someone I didn't know.

"Orihime, what is it?"

"I-I... uh... oh... g-good luck in college." I smiled but I knew it was shaky.

He looked concerned before easily giving me a soft smile.

"Thanks. Same to you."

The shirt slipped away, and I felt a bigger distance begin to form between us. I wouldn't be going to the same college as him. This was my final chance and it was over. My heart clenched, and it physically hurt to watch his back grow smaller and smaller.

I wanted to tell him. I wanted to do it, the most out of anything, but I wanted him to stay the same more. I didn't want to change us. I wouldn't be able to bear it if I couldn't be by his side anymore. I sighed and hung my head. I let out an unsteady breath as I fought back the tears that clung to my eyes. I walked slowly to my apartment prolonging the inevitable loneliness that waited for me.

In my room, I hugged my knees and felt the warm tears slide down my cheeks.

I didn't know it would be like this. I didn't know that after my conviction to keep my feelings to myself, that my heart would decide to break. It wasn't instantly or all at once. It went slowly. It disintegrated into pieces day by day.

My classes didn't start for another two weeks so all I had to occupy my mind was work. I looked around my room and noticed my running shoes.

 _Yeah, a run should clear my thoughts._

It was a warm day and I didn't have much of an appetite these days so when I took off towards the park, I should have known it wasn't such a great idea. I was running and the pavement beneath me began to feel harder. My legs felt like jelly. I should have stopped but the burning in my lungs distracted me from the pain seizing my heart, so I pushed on.

It was a blur when I tripped and rolled down the grassy hill off the jogging trail. I landed at the bottom by the river. My knee stung from the fall, but it was hard to concentrate on that while trying to regain control over my breathing.

After a moment I looked up to the sky and felt comfort from the heat of the sun. It wrapped around my skin, calming my thoughts. The fluffy white clouds drifted east, and they looked so beautiful as they floated effortlessly across the blue sky.

For that instant I desired to be those clouds, so I could wander far away from here. To see the world and not have to feel. But the heat brought me back to where I was. No, I don't want to be a cloud. I want to be the sun, so I could touch everything, everyone… him…

* * *

AN: This story may not be for everyone who has read my other stories. It will be paced slower and I have not decided whether it will be rated M. I'm just letting this story write itself. I still don't know exactly where I'll take it so if you still want to read great :). There will be a little drama, love for sure though, and hopefully some cute moments between Ichigo and Orihime.


	2. We're Friends

Orihime hummed to herself as she finished her shift at the bakery. She cleaned the counters when her head began filling with Ichigo's words after Rukia's wedding. It had been a couple of weeks since, but s he was still trying to wrap her mind around what Ichigo meant by making time for him. It didn't help that he had yet to reach out to her. Did he need help with homework? With his family? Did he need advice on dating! She shook her head. No, she wouldn't go there.

 _Maybe he changed his mind?_ Orihime shrugged as she placed the dry ingredients back on the shelves.

Orihime had not seen Ichigo much since high school. College and work were to blame. They were both busy and it was the wedding that actually brought them together again, if only for a short time. The distance had given Orihime time to reflect on her feelings for Ichigo. She still kept him close to her heart, but she had decided she would not confess because of her unwillingness to change what they had. They were close friends and maybe that was all they were meant to be. She just wanted him to be happy.

Orihime sighed as she continued to finish her work. It had been so long since she had thought this much about Ichigo. The two years she had spent living her life had done Orihime a lot of good. She was taking a few classes at a local college and worked as many hours at the bakery as possible. She enjoyed being busy and occupying her mind with studying. In her free time, she would hang out with her friends from work. The hope she felt that Ichigo would finally notice her as more than a friend started slipping further and further from her mind.

Outside the shop Ichigo was pacing in circles waiting for Orihime. He was finally ready to talk to her, so he got off from work early to meet her at the bakery. Ever since his little talk with Renji he couldn't stop thinking about how he would approach Orihime. Every time his thumb hovered over the send button on his phone he would freeze. He knew his actions would change everything between them.

He roughly leaned on the wall letting out a puff of air. His eyes flew open when he realized she could already have a boyfriend. He had never asked her if she did and if so, he should let her be. No matter how he felt he wouldn't get in the way of her happiness. He warred with himself on whether he should leave now or wait.

"Ichigo?"

He turned around to see Orihime.

"Oh h-hey Orihime." He chuckled rubbing the back of his neck. He struggled to find a reason to why he was waiting for her but couldn't so taking her home seemed like the most reasonable thing to offer. "Want me to walk you home?"

Orihime blinked a few times trying to understand what was going on. She wondered why Ichigo had come to her job and to just walk her home? She smiled realizing it didn't really matter to her. She was just excited to see him.

"Sure!"

They walked in comfortable silence for a few blocks.

"How was work?"

"It was busy but a lot of fun! My boss let me try my own brownie recipe today and he said it was so good that he would sell them in the store next week! You should come by and try some. They're pretty good." She smiled looking down at her shoes.

"Yeah, okay I will."

Her eyes widened for a moment surprised by his answer. She looked up to see a small smile on his lips. It was hard trying not to be affected by him.

They were in front of her door by now and she felt a little forward asking him inside, but she sensed he probably came to talk to her. Well she was making time for him now so maybe he would finally tell her what it was he needed from her.

"Do you want to come inside?"

He nodded once.

She led him inside her apartment and closed the door behind them as she became slightly nervous. Once their shoes were off their eyes met at the same time and Orihime gasped looking at her kitchen.

"Y-you must be starving! Let me make you something to eat! Have a seat wherever you like!" Orihime was speaking far too loudly but Ichigo didn't comment on it. He sat at the kitchen table staring at Orihime as she busied herself looking in her refrigerator.

"It's fine Orihime, you don't have to trouble yourself." He tried to sound sincere, but he really didn't want to fall victim to one of her _concoctions._

"It's no trouble really!" She started working on making rice and found the dish she had made last night. _Perfect_ , she thought as she started heating up the food.

Surprisingly, Ichigo did not die and was pleased to find her cooking was tasty. Orihime had on occasion helped cook at his family's house, but now, left to her own devices, she was still a good cook.

 _Thank God,_ Ichigo silently thought.

Orihime cleared the table and began washing the dishes. She felt Ichigo at her side and her hands started to tremble. _No, why does he have to stand so close?_

"I'll help you."

Throughout their meal they kept a small conversation about work and school but now being close to each other was causing awkwardness. Orihime shook her head and found her resolution. She was determined to not make him feel uncomfortable just because he didn't feel the same. She would be a good friend to him and try her hardest to keep their bond. She took and deep breath and started another easy conversation about his family, asking how they had been and what their plans were for the future.

Ichigo was thankful that Orihime took the lead on making conversation. He was still at a loss on how to make his feelings for her clear.

Orihime washed the last plate looking to her left at Ichigo. She took this moment to take in his features. Since high school he had grown slightly taller, his face had the faintest trace of stubble, and his orange hair was longer. The strands at the nape of his neck touched the collar of his shirt passing it by an inch. She handed Ichigo the plate to dry. Their fingers brushed against each other for the briefest moment but they both still felt a small jolt run through their bodies. Both became too embarrassed to look at each other.

Orihime, still wanting to keep things light, hopped up on the counter as she watched Ichigo dry the last plate. She couldn't believe the same hands that held so much power and saved countless lives were surprisingly gentle. Her eyes landed back at the nape of his neck, having an incredibly strong urge to reach out and run her fingers through his hair. They were friends. Friends could touch each other's hair, right? Feeling bold and knowing her intentions from here on out were only platonic, she timidly reached out and touched the strands of hair.

"Orihime?" Ichigo felt a small thrill go through him when he felt her cool fingertips on his neck.

"Ehh!? Oh! I'm sorry I was just… I mean you've let your hair grow out." She withdrew her hand to her lap.

"Oh, yeah, I haven't really had time to cut it lately. Sorry, it must look a mess." Ichigo smiled sheepishly at Orihime as he ran his hand through his orange mane.

"Ah, n-no of course not! I actually like your long hair! Hm, I have an idea!" She lifted one finger in the air. "I could cut it for you, since you're here."

"When did you learn to cut hair?" Ichigo looked genuinely surprised.

"Well this past summer a coworker of mine also worked at a hair salon and she needed some help, so I told her I could. She taught me how to cut men's hair and we ended up bringing a lot of customers to her salon! It was great! Even Keigo became a regular and came every week!"

Ichigo watched how animated she became explaining in detail everything she had accomplished that summer. He did feel left out but decided not to mention it right away.

"Wow, Orihime you must be really good." He smiled sincerely at her.

"Mm, thanks." She felt heat rise in her face at his praise. She shook it off. Repeating in her mind that they were friends and only friends. "So, would you like to see my skills?" She smiled sweetly.

"Sure." Ichigo shrugged his shoulders.

Orihime came out of her bathroom holding multiple items. She placed them all on the kitchen counter. Ichigo was already seated in a chair in the middle of the floor.

"Uh, Ichigo… your shirt…" Orihime didn't know how to tell him that he should probably take his shirt off to minimize the amount of hair that would fall on him since she did not have a drape to protect his clothing. "Your shirt might get really dirty… I don't have the right covering."

Ichigo noticed Orihime's pinkened cheeks and wondered why she seemed embarrassed. He was the one about to be half nude. He fought the heat that threatened to rise to his face.

"Oh, right. I can take it off." He reached behind his back and pulled the shirt off placing it on the counter.

Orihime's face started to heat rather quickly so she pushed the small towel she was holding towards him. Her eyes were closed so she ended up hitting him in the face.

"Here! This should keep you somewhat decent!"

Ichigo chuckled as he placed the towel around his shoulders.

"Like this?"

Orihime opened her eyes and nodded. She could still see all of his abs and chest but somehow with his shoulders covered she could look at him. She took a deep breath and grabbed a pair of hair cutting scissors snipping them once.

"Ready?"

"Do your worst." He smiled.

If Ichigo had known what kind of predicament he was about to get himself into, he would have flat out denied her request to cut his hair, because sitting here in her kitchen, trying to keep his blood from running south, was one of the hardest things he had ever done.


	3. The Haircut

**Chapter 2 – The Haircut**

"Ah! I almost forgot! First things first, Ichigo, I must first wash your hair!"

Ichigo stood up while Orihime placed the chair in front of the sink. It wasn't going to be easy as it was in the salon, but she wanted to give Ichigo the full experience.

He sat back down and Orihime pouted. "You're a little too tall."

She ran off into a small closet before Ichigo could respond and pulled out a stepping stool. She placed it next to Ichigo on the floor and got on.

"Okay that's better." She leaned over him pouring shampoo in her hand. "Sorry. I only have this flowery scented shampoo."

"Nah, don't worry about it." He closed his eyes and stiffened when Orihime's hands disappeared into his hair. She was incredibly close, and he could feel what he assumed was her stomach on his shoulder. Suddenly, he didn't know if this was going to be pleasurable or torment.

After a moment the smell of the shampoo wafted to his nose. It was actually a really good, familiar smell. He was entering a trance of peace he ever rarely let himself feel. It was disarming to say the least. He knew he had fallen for Orihime, but this was going into new territory. He'd felt broken for so long. He felt like he didn't deserve someone as kind as Orihime but after high school those thoughts began diminishing. If she would have him then he would gladly strive to be someone worthy for her. But right now, being wrapped in Orihime's gentle presence and overwhelmingly serene spiritual pressure was almost too much to bear. He gritted his teeth, he never expected to receive this kind of treatment from her.

Orihime unaware of Ichigo's inner struggles, hummed one of her made up melodies while lathering his hair. She was used to cutting men's hair by this point and had felt all types of textures but feeling Ichigo's was different. It was soft and thick. She had often dreamed of touching his hair, so getting the chance to freely run her fingers through it was truly a dream come true. She had to keep herself from giggling for feeling a bit mischievous being able to take advantage of him like this.

Eventually Ichigo felt brave enough to open his eyes and the moment he did he knew exactly why she had so many clients. His face was only inches from her chest. He was instantly filled with unadulterated rage. How many men had been this close to her? And Keigo! His so-called friend was a dead man walking.

"Uh Orihime, did you do this for all your clients?" Ichigo managed to say through clenched teeth.

"Yes of course! As a hairdresser you must always wash your client's hair first." She smiled and continued humming quietly to herself.

"A-and Keigo was your most frequent customer?"

"Mm... Well he was the one who insisted I try multiple hair styles on him, so I could gain more experience. He came every day one week, so I could try them. He was a really good sport! Even after I accidentally cut his hair too short. He said he didn't mind and now wears his hair low." Orihime giggled. "I'm not very good with the clippers. But with the scissors I excel at! So, don't worry!"

She rinsed his hair while finally getting the chance to find out why he never showed up.

"I'm actually surprised you didn't know this. He told me you and the other guys were too busy to stop by?"

A vein in Ichigo's forehead was ready to explode, but he had to admit the anger was a good distraction. With every move Orihime made, her breasts softly bounced up and down and so close to his face. It was too much. So, he focused his rage on Keigo.

"Fucking bastard." He muttered under his breath. Not only did he never mention this, he had the nerve to lie to Orihime. Next time he saw Keigo he was not pulling his punches.

"No Orihime, he never mentioned it actually. But I guess it's still my fault, you know for not really keeping in touch…"

"Oh no it's okay! I mean you're here now." She nervously laughed. She didn't mean to make him feel guilty in any way. "Okay you can sit up straight now."

Orihime dried his hair with the towel enough for it stop dripping. She avoided looking at his chest where the water had made trails down to his stomach. She thought she saw a faint trail of hair from his belly button to the band of his pants but was absolutely too embarrassed to really look.

 _Don't look, don't look!_ Orihime mentally ordered herself.

"I'll only cut about 2 inches."

"Okay."

Orihime ran her fingers through his hair using her middle and forefinger to find her first guideline. She felt elated being able to do something helpful for Ichigo. It had been a long time since she felt useful to him.

Ichigo sat with his hands gripping his pants. He had never been this close to Orihime for this length of time. He looked up at her and smiled seeing the look of concentration on her face. His eyes carefully roamed to her lips. He swallowed thinking of how they would feel on his. He stopped his train of thought until his eyes landed on her legs. Before they began, she had changed into what she said were her "comfortable clothes." He had an eyeful of rounded creamy thighs. He couldn't stop himself from imagining how they would feel in his hands. He silently groaned as he fought to control himself. This would not be like the last time he put his hands on her. He couldn't just throw her over his shoulder and make some lame excuse about finding a way down from the tower. That time he had nearly slipped up and he knew it.

Orihime was almost finished. A few more cuts to his fringe and he was all done. She let the hair slip from her fingers letting it settle slightly over his eyes.

"All done!" She held up the handheld mirror, for him to see. She bit her lip anticipating his reaction.

"You did great Orihime. Thanks." He ran his hand through his hair feeling the shorter length. He was proud of her for learning to do something like this and in such a short amount of time. Orihime seemed to be talented in everything she put her mind to.

"Good I'm glad." She let out a breath in relief and smiled.

She slipped the towel from his shoulders, taking it to the trash bin to shake off, and picked up a dustpan on the way back to the kitchen. She was about to crouch down when Ichigo took the dustpan from her hand.

"I got it."

"Okay, thanks." Orihime smiled. She didn't expect him to be so kind as to help her clean up. _He's so sweet,_ she gushed to herself. She was grateful he had put his shirt back on. She didn't want to be blushing for a whole week.

Ichigo swept the hair up thinking of a way to see Orihime again. He wanted to keep the momentum going before another two years passed before he saw her again. He felt this would be the best approach. Take his time, become close to her again.

They quickly finished cleaning up together and when Orihime came back from the bathroom Ichigo finally had an idea.

"So, hey… are you free this week?" He mindlessly rubbed the back of his neck. "You should come over for dinner, you know as a thank you for my hair. I-I know my sisters would like to see you too."

"I'd love to! Although, you don't need to thank me, it was fun for me after all." Orihime's face became warm as her words faded in volume.

"Well I'm glad because I wouldn't mind having you cut my hair again." He chuckled.

"Oh, good you can count on me!" Orihime smiled brightly, excited to know she would definitely be able to see him more often.

Ichigo looked at the time on his watch. "Well I should head out. Call me to let me what day works for you." He walked to door and put his shoes back on.

"Okay, I will."

She opened the door and stepped outside behind him. She wanted to hug him when he turned towards her. Parting was always a little awkward for them. A hug was too intimate but not doing anything didn't seem right either. The air was beginning to thicken with something Orihime could not identify. She peeked up from her lashes to look at Ichigo who was staring down the hall.

Ichigo felt it too, that pull to her. He craved to have her soft curves against him. To be able to hold her even as a friend, but he couldn't bring himself to pull her in for a hug, so he directed his eyes back to Orihime and gave her a small nod.

"Well I'll see you." He turned shoving his hands in his pockets and walked down the hall.

"Oh! Bye!" The sound of his voice brought her out of her reverie.

Orihime walked back inside her apartment and happily sighed. She was proud of herself for successfully getting through the night with Ichigo. Friendship seemed to be a good fit for them and she was beginning to fully accept that role.

Ichigo made it home and was heading to take a bath when he heard his phone vibrate on his desk. His heart picked up a bit until he saw the name on the screen.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I've been trying to call you for the past hour! I thought we were going to study tonight?"

"Oh. I forgot."

"You forgot? How could you?!"

Ichigo winced pulling the phone from his ear. _Shit this girl is loud._

"Well how about tomorrow?"

"No tonight! Meet me at the Starbucks by the campus and hurry! They close in two hours!"

"You know I hate that place." He groaned. It was always busy and noisy.

"Well I can always come over." His eyes widened at that comment. That was the last thing he wanted. Kana meeting his family was not going to happen.

"Fine! I'll be there in ten!" He barked out before hanging up. He gathered his stuff and headed for the front door.

 _She's impossible_ , he thought as he walked down the darkening streets. He only hoped other people from his class were going to be there this time. So many times, it ended up just being the two of them and his friends at school were beginning to get the wrong idea.

He sighed opening the door to Starbucks and quickly spotted Kana.

 _Here we go._


	4. Study Night

AN: Thank you to brokenangelwings83 for encouraging me to write more. And I changed the name of the girl from **Rose** to **Kana.** Sorry for any confusion!

* * *

Kana immediately spotted Ichigo when he walked inside. She jumped up from her seat and rushed over to him. Her body was telling her to wrap her arms tightly around him, but she managed to restrain herself as she rocked back on her heels.

"You made it!" She grabbed the sleeve of his coat and led him to a seat next to her.

"Yo… Whoa…!" Her excitement caused Ichigo to land roughly in his seat. He sighed, _this girl never changes._

"I know I was kind of pushy on the phone, so I got you a hot chocolate as an apology." Kana had the decency to look embarrassed for her brash behavior.

"Oh… uh… thanks." Ichigo hesitantly took the drink he was handed. He didn't need her apology but decided it was best not to voice that. He just took the drink and decided he would pay her back at a later time. Although Ichigo was not in the mood to drink anything the smell of chocolate was really inviting. He took a small sip, his eyes lighting up when the sweet liquid reached his tongue. It warmed him from the inside out after the cold walk. _Maybe Starbucks isn't all that bad,_ he thought.

"It's good." He mumbled between drinks.

Kana was surprised by his statement. She had hoped he'd like it but was more than excited to know she had actually exceeded her goal when she saw him place the empty cup down. Her eyes focused on his lips for a second as he licked the residual chocolate off of them. Kana felt warmth reach her cheeks and bit her lip in an attempt to calm herself down. _One step at a time_ , she reminded herself.

There was no denying that Kana had fallen for Ichigo since their first semester of college. It started out as any other crush, only wanting to get his attention in class, but the more she got to know him the more she couldn't stop thinking about him. Every day she came up with ways to spend time with him. She knew he was rough around the edges, had a temper, but she saw the kindness that dwelled within him and it didn't hurt that he had an attractive face. In fact, she had never wanted anyone more than she wanted Ichigo.

Kana's heart was beating harder when she realized how close Ichigo was to her. In the beginning, she could hardly speak to him but when she realized how oblivious he was, she felt no need to hide her feelings as much. She took advantage of every opportunity to touch him, be near him, and he was none the wiser to her true intentions. So, as she sat snuggled up next to him, she was thankful for his impervious nature, it allowed her to be close without any awkward repercussions.

Ichigo took out his notes and laptop realizing he was too close to Kana but there was a person to his immediate left and someone had taken the chairs to the table, so he had no choice but to sit shoulder to shoulder with her on the bench side. _Never mind_ _I really don't like this place,_ hegrumbled _._ He knew something was up with Kana. She had a boisterous personality, a real nuisance in the beginning that only grew more so as time went on. He liked that she was always willing to help with school and seemed like a nice girl but there was just so much he could take. He saw her more as an annoying sister. He had two, so he treated her no different. Placating her when needed and staying away when she got too clingy. He was not in any position to be rude or ignore her since they were studying the same major and ended up in many of the same classes. He could always count on her to help when he needed it with anything related to his classes, but he did wish she would learn what personal space meant.

Ultimately, he knew there was no use fighting against Kana. She seemed to have a knack for getting him to cooperate when and where they would study and now with Orihime occupying his thoughts he had no more time to think about Kana or what she was up to.

When Kana's mind had finally focused back to the task at hand, she noticed something truly devastating.

"Eh! Ichigo! What the hell?"

"What!"

"Y-you're beautiful hair! It's gone!" Kana had taken quite a liking to Ichigo's long hair. She was so close to touching it once, but even she knew that was going too far. She pouted thinking about her missed opportunity.

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah Orihime actually cut it tonight."

Just saying her name out loud brought her to the forefront of his mind. He could see the way her face became serious as she worked on his hair and how close her body was to him. _Shit._ He focused his eyes back to his laptop willing away the thoughts that were threatening to flood his senses.

Kana instantly froze at the mention of her name. Ichigo didn't talk much about his friends outside of school but whenever he did mention this _Orihime_ , she always felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She quickly shook it off determined more than ever to make Ichigo hers once and for all.

"Well it still looks good." She took out her own notes. "Well let's get started, huh?" Kana smiled brightly at Ichigo with newfound ambition and her eyes set on only one thing, him.

"Yeah."

After an hour of going over their notes and arguing about who's answers were right Kana remembered about their other assignment in their Music Appreciation class.

"So Ichigo, have you decided where you're going for our first concert project?"

"Not really. I haven't thought about it." He shrugged still working on his essay for his World Literature class.

"Well I heard there's a small cover band playing in a local bar in a few weeks… They cover music from the U.S. It should be good… I- I was thinking we could go together…?" Her voice became smaller not able to look at Ichigo in the eyes.

He thought about it for a moment, a small smile formed on his lips as he started coming up with ways, he could get Orihime to go out with them. Another way to get closer to her without it being too intimate.

"That's actually a good idea…"

"Really?!" Kana's heart almost stopped and it almost did when she heard what came out of his mouth next.

"I'll invite Orihime. She likes bands that cover American music."

"Eh… wait…"

"Oh, and you should invite others from our class. It can be a group thing." He wanted to make sure more people would come so Kana would have others to talk to. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck in an awkward situation with Kana and Orihime.

"Oh… yeah sure..." She sunk into her seat. It was going to be a lot harder than she thought getting to spend alone time with Ichigo in a different setting that didn't involve studying.

"Oh, hey what did you get for question two?" Ichigo noticed her spacing out and poked her on the forehead with the eraser side of his pencil.

"Hm? Oh, I haven't gotten to that one yet." Kana tried not to pout and look completely disheartened that her plan wasn't going the way she wanted. She really thought this was going to be her chance to loosen Ichigo up and warm him up to the idea of her. She stared at his profile mindlessly tapping her pen on the table. _He's so damn hot._ She had to admit even with his shorter hair he still looked damn good. The shorter hair let his brown eyes become the focus of his face.

Kana spent a lot of her time together with Ichigo like this; him working, her staring. No matter how many times they had done this Kana never got tired of it. She had a hunch that Ichigo was a virgin and thought that was actually really adorable. It made him that more enticing and she knew how many girls on campus wanted him too, so to know she could possibly get the most sought-after man really made her desire for him that much greater. Questions started filling her mind regarding his sexual past. How far had he actually gone with a woman? Had he even seen a naked woman before? What facial expression would he make when he finally had sex and when the time came would he come so fast that he would be embarrassed? She giggled quietly into her drink. _I'm thinking way too much about this._ Her eyes widened in wonder when she realized he may have never even kissed a girl. _Maybe I'll be the first… Maybe I'll show him how good it can feel…_

The coffee shop became quieter as everyone started leaving. Right when Ichigo could finally get some breathing room he looked at the time to see it was really late.

"Hey they're closing soon. We got enough done. Let's go."

"Huh?" Kana was drawn out of her lustful thoughts feeling a bit embarrassed. Her cheeks pinkened up when she saw the confused look in Ichigo's eyes. _This man is going to kill me with that face._

"Let's go. They're turning the lights off."

"Oh right!" She giggled bashfully.

After they gathered their belongings and bundled up, they walked out onto the cold street.

"It's late. I'll walk you home."

"Okay." She smiled happy to spend a few more moments with Ichigo. She led the way as he followed behind her. Having him near, keeping her safe from any potential dangers had her stomach and heart fluttering. Kana didn't know any guys that were like Ichigo. All her exes were sweet and nice in the beginning only to turn into possessive assholes. She shuddered at the thought. Ichigo seemed promising. He seemed like the kind of guy every girl dreamed of having.

Kana was lost in her thoughts and became quiet the closer they got to her house. She wanted to get him inside, but she knew he would refuse like he always did. Tonight, was not going to be the night to get him alone either. She sighed.

"You okay? We're here, aren't we?" Ichigo gestured to the house they were standing in front of.

Kana lifted her head and nodded. She was out of ideas although she was not giving up on him, she was getting somewhat frustrated that she had yet to get out of this friend zone. What was it going to take?

"Yeah this is it."

"Alright, see you in class." Ichigo was about to leave when he felt a tug on his arm.

"Wait." She looked up at Ichigo and decided that she was going to have to be a little more aggressive than she had originally thought. The moment he turned around she rushed into his chest pressing herself into him. Ichigo's eyes snapped open and he stiffened surprised by her sudden action. _What the hell?_

Ichigo patted Kana's back wanting to end the unexpected contact. He looked down at the pink haired girl in his arms and he knew without a doubt he felt nothing but friendship for Kana. If it wasn't Orihime then he didn't want any other girl to try to fill that role. The irony of the situation almost made him laugh out loud. He would have done anything to have had the chance to hug Orihime like this tonight, but instead it turned out like this.

"I… really need to get going."

"Oh right." She shakily stepped back turning towards her house. "See you!" Kana raced towards her front door as her heart raced out of control. She took her shoes off and walked quickly to her room. She couldn't believe she had actually done that. She collapsed on her bed thinking of how he good smelled up close. She threw her arm over her eyes knowing she wouldn't get much sleep tonight.

Finally, back home Ichigo got ready for bed. He pushed aside the last part of the night with Kana. She was getting to close for comfort but never having been in a situation like this he was at a loss as to what to do with Kana. Either way Ichigo didn't have time to think too much on that as memories of Orihime skillfully cutting his hair came to his mind. He could still feel her blunt fingernails scratch his scalp and being put in a tranquil trance by her.

He got inside the covers of his bed putting his hands behind his head reminiscing about Rukia's wedding and how he must have looked for Renji to call him out like he did. He thought he was being his normal self. But if Renji noticed, who else had? He replayed those scenes searching for clues but eventually fell asleep with no answers.

* * *

 **Ichigo's POV**

 _I walked up behind Uryu and Chad, lugging around the wedding gifts from my family, who were already waiting underground for the senkaimon to open._

" _Hey, where's Orihime?"_

 _Chad and Uryu turned around looking at each other before Chad responded._

" _She said she's on her way."_

" _I see you're as ill-mannered as ever, Kurosaki."_

" _We just talked two days ago, no need for small talk."_

 _Before Uryu could respond we heard a familiar, melodious voice that belonged to only one person._

" _Ichigo! Chad! Uryu!"_

 _All three of us turned around to see Orihime jogging as fast as she could in her shoes holding her purse securely against her._

" _Sorry I'm late! I got so emotional thinking about Rukia and Renji getting married it took me forever to get ready." She caught her breath and laughed. "Sorry I'm just a mess. Oh! You guys look so handsome!" She gave us a small bow as we mumbled our thanks._

 _Uryu cleared his throat pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Orihime, you look lovely yourself."_

 _She practically beamed and began going over the material her dress was made of and how Riruka had helped her pick it out._

 _Orihime did look beautiful and I only wished I could voice my thoughts as easily as her and Uryu could._

 _As we waited for that damn Urahara to come down from his shop, Orihime continued her conversation with Uryu which had now become about traditional Japanese clothing for a bride and groom. I stayed in the back with Chad with no words exchanged just comfortable to be in our familiar silence._

 _I couldn't help but steal glances at Orihime. Even though she had recently been at my house, something was different. Something was changing. Maybe it was that she was wearing makeup and heels, or it was the simple fact that I couldn't stop thinking about her for the past two years, but no matter the reason she was different and maybe I was different too._

* * *

 **A Few Days Later**

Ichigo woke up to find himself wound up tight from thinking so much about Orihime lately. He sat on his bed rubbing his neck. There was only one way he knew how to release this tension now that he was not exterminating hollows. The gym. Luckily for him there was fitness center on campus that was free to use by students. He changed into his workout gear, grabbed his headphones, and headed out.

Yuzu tried to get him to eat before he walked out the door but said he was in a hurry and that he would make it for dinner. Yuzu tried not to be too upset and sighed.

"Okay… Hey, Ichigo, will Orihime be coming over for dinner anytime soon? I'd really like to see her!"

"Oh…" That reminded him that he was still waiting on a call from Orihime to set date for when she could make it. "She might actually be coming over soon. I'll let you know! See ya!" He closed the door checking his phone for any notifications. None from Orihime, just one from Kana and a few others from his classmates. He sighed, tersely snapping his phone closed and picked up the pace. If Orihime didn't call today, he was going to figure out a time to go see her at the bakery and get an answer.

At the gym Ichigo started his regular routine raising his heart rate and warming up before strengthening his body. He felt good letting out his tension in this physical manner. He liked staying fit knowing that if and when the time came again to protect those, he cared for deeply he would be ready.

Outside Kana was walking to her first class. She glanced inside the fitness center and nearly fell over when she caught sight of her favorite orange head. He was doing pull ups. All the muscles in his arms were flexed and looked bigger than normal.

 _Oh god…_ She pressed her face closer to the glass watching Ichigo head over to the dumbbells picking out some of the heavier ones.

"Gawking at your new boyfriend, Kana?"

Kana gasped incredibly loud looking up to see Makoto and immediately relaxed. She couldn't really call him an ex since they never dated but she had been intimate with him in the past. Makoto was one of the few nice guys she knew but after spending the night together, once, she was sure she could only see him as a friend.

"Oh, it's just you. You scared me!" She playfully swatted his arm.

"So, I was right then." Makoto laughed at Kana's red face.

"He's not my boyfriend… yet." She crossed her arms.

"Well that's surprising. You seem to always have a boyfriend at your side." Even though he made an effort to stay friends with Kana, he couldn't keep the annoyance out of his voice. Kana had been the one to pursue him and ultimately not wanting anything further. He thought about it for a moment and decided irritating her would entertain him quite nicely. "Maybe you're just not his type." He shrugged chuckling when she furrowed her eyebrows.

She huffed and turned back to face the window watching Ichigo continue his workout.

"Yeah, well what about you? You're not seeing anyone." Kana grinned knowing full well Makoto could see her reflection in the glass.

Makoto grimaced. After being turned down by Kana he was initially pissed and began sleeping around, only having girlfriends for the sake of having one. But the girl he had been crushing on didn't seem like the kind to date just for the hell of it, so he was being cautious and taking his time to approach her correctly.

"Don't worry about me. I have my eye on someone and before you ask, she doesn't come to this school." A small smile formed on his lips as he thought about the beautiful girl who was making him forget ever having been hurt in the first place.

"Oh really? Well where do you know her from?" Kana turned to face Makoto, curious to know who he was willing to wait for. When they decided they would stay friends she was surprised at how jealous she became when she saw how many girls were willing to get with Makoto. For a moment she realized that maybe she had made a mistake by letting him go so quickly but by then she had met Ichigo and never looked back.

"From my part time job."

"Well does she have a name?" Kana was getting impatient with him beating around the bush.

Makoto sighed. He didn't really want to tell Kana anything, but he was kind of glad to have someone he could talk to about the girl he was falling for.

"It's Orihime Inoue."

 _No way…_ Kana turned around facing Makoto. It couldn't be the same Orihime. She had never been this fortunate in her life. But if it was, if by some miracle it was, it looked like things were finally going to go in her favor.

"Oh, Makoto." Kana sang. "Tell me more about this Orihime. I think I might be of some help to you."


	5. Night At The Kurosakis, Part 1

Ichigo ran across his college campus turning his wrist up to check the time.

 _Shit!_

That idiot Kana had lost both of their notes for their World Literature class and both had to spend the last hour with their professor getting back on track with the current lesson. Ichigo clenched his jaw. That was the last time he let her borrow his notes or homework for that matter.

Kana had been extremely apologetic and promised she would make it up to him, but he had heard enough when he abruptly got up and left the classroom slamming the door shut. Kana winced in her seat and reluctantly stayed put.

Ichigo ran between two bicyclists and jumped over two children playing on the sidewalk. He was thankful he had kept himself in shape allowing him to agilely maneuver through the crowd. This was the busiest time of the day, as everyone was trying to get home, but he wasn't going to let another day go by without seeing Orihime. On top of that he had promised he would support her by purchasing the brownies she had created for the store. He easily averted more pedestrians closing in on his destination.

 _Fuck, they're about to close!  
_  
He picked up his pace into a full-on sprint.

At the bakery Orihime was hunched over the display case resting her head on her arm. Her shift was coming to an end but it still wasn't soon enough. Immediately following her unexpected visit from Ichigo, Orihime was hurled into a whirlwind of school, work, and sleep. Something had to give, and it saddened her that school was most likely going to end up on the backburner, but right now she wanted to focus on baking. Her brownies had sold out every day before noon making them the most sought after baked good. Orihime cried the first day her brownies sold out before anything else. Everyone praised her hard work and her boss congratulated her saying she had real potential for becoming a great baker one day.

"Orihime? You okay?"

She quickly looked up to see her co-worker Makoto handing her a bottle of water. Makoto stood tall over Orihime. He was roughly over six feet with light brown hair and brown eyes.

"Oh, thank you!" She smiled, embarrassed to be caught resting during her shift. "Yeah, I'm fine just super exhausted. I'm ready to go home." She yawned.

"Well we did have a busy day and your brownies are still a hit! That's awesome! You should go sit while I finish cleaning and I can walk you home."

"Thanks, Makoto but that's okay, I know it's really out of your way to walk me home." She took several gulps of water hoping to wake herself up. "And I can still help you close. Don't count me out!" She laughed mustering up whatever energy she had left to finish cleaning.

Makoto smiled gently at Orihime before the tightening in his chest began. He really wanted her. She was everything he wanted in a girl and it was often hard for him to focus whenever she was around. He clenched his hand recalling his meeting with Kana earlier that day. He was adamant about staying out of Kana's schemes and scolded her, telling her she was crazy for even thinking about interfering with Orihime. Makoto had been working to win Orihime's affection for the past six months therefore he didn't want to do anything to ruin any progress he'd made. It was important to him to do things right with Orihime and breaking her trust was certainly not an option. But Kana calmed his concerns and told him if he was that worried then he didn't have to do anything for the time being.

 _"What do you mean? You don't want me to do anything?"_

 _"Exactly don't do anything, especially if Ichigo comes around the bakery."_

 _"So, I'm just supposed to pretend I'm not interested in her?!"_

 _"Makoto, you idiot…" She sighed. "If you even make a move implying you like the girl while he's around, you're only going to push him into her arms…" She shook her head. "Look, I don't even know for sure if he has feelings for her, but we don't need to make any big move anyway,, okay? Just be observant and let me know what you see. Leave the rest to me."_

 _Makoto eyed Kana not quite convinced by her, but if they really weren't going to do anything then he supposed it wouldn't hurt._

 _"Fine…" He grumbled.  
_

"All done! Finally, we can leave!" Orihime smiled raising her arm triumphantly. Makoto chuckled.

"Good, let's get out of here."

They changed into their street clothes preparing to face the cold weather. Orihime and Makoto turned the lights off and locked the doors on their way out.

Once outside Makoto walked closely next to Orihime hoping he was going to get the chance to spend more time with her. It had taken many offers in the beginning before Orihime agreed to let him walk her home. He hated having to take things slow with her, but something told him it would be worth it for her.

"Orihime, I really don't mind walking you home, you know that, and anyway it's too late for you to be walking home alone." He nudged her arm with his elbow hoping she would agree.

"That's alright... I can… walk her… home…"

Both turned to see Ichigo leant over, hands on his knees, panting trying to catch his breath. Orihime immediately straightened up and greeted him in her usual cheerful manner.

"Hi, Ichigo!"

"Sorry I didn't... get here... on time." He took a few more deep breaths as a scowl slowly crept on his face when he saw a guy, he didn't recognize standing beside Orihime; a little too close for his liking. He stiffened momentarily hoping this wasn't her boyfriend.

Orihime looked a little puzzled before remembering to introduce the guys to each other. "Oh, this is Makoto. He works with me at the bakery. And Makoto, this is Ichigo a friend from high school."

She smiled looking between them as they gave each other a curt nod.

Makoto gritted his teeth wanting nothing more than to tell this orange-headed bastard to fuck off before Kana's words replayed in his head, _"you're only going to push him into her arms…"_ He managed to relax enough to pull off a tight smile.

"Oh…" Makoto noticed the way Orihime immediately lit up when she saw him… It really pissed him off. He didn't want to be a part of Kana's stupid plan but that smile on Orihime's face irked him more than he thought it would. He inhaled deeply through his nose. This was going against everything a man would do, but if Kana was right, he didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize his chance to be with Orihime… _Fuck it… She better be right!_ "…well I guess I'll leave Orihime in your hands." He hoped his fake smile was working as he waved to Orihime. "See you at work tomorrow."

"Uh, right! See you tomorrow Makoto!" Orihime waved back.

Makoto let out a breath as he walked away already regretting leaving Orihime.

Ichigo scratched his cheek wondering what the hell that was about. For a second it looked like that guy was about to start something with him but then changed his mind. _Weird…_ He knew guys flocked to Orihime's side but this guy… something was off, and he didn't like it.

"Ichigo…? Is everything alright?" Orihime took a few steps in front of Ichigo.

"Huh? Uh, yeah everything's fine. I was trying to get here earlier. I was looking forward to trying those brownies you made." He smiled apologetically. Orihime realized now what he meant by not making it on time. She smiled shyly. "And I haven't heard from you about coming over for dinner so…" He looked at his watch. "Do you have time now?"

Ichigo's brown eyes softened, silently hoping she wasn't upset that he didn't make it before they closed and that she would accept his invitation. There were beads of sweat rolling down his temples and his hair appeared damp around the roots. _Did he run all the way here from campus,_ Orihime wondered. She knew it was almost eight at night but the idea of going to his house and spending time with him and his family seemed like the perfect way to end her day. And since she was going to withdraw from her classes on Monday all that homework that had piled up didn't matter anymore.

"Oh, I'm sorry Ichigo! I would have called you a lot earlier in the week but I've been so busy at the bakery and then school… that I never had time, but I am free tonight!" She adjusted her bag and took a step beside him.

"Oh, right you do work a lot, are you sure you're free I mean we can get together another night?"

Orihime shook her head and smiled. She wanted to tell him that she was about to drop out so homework was a thing of the past but when she was about to say the actual words, _I'm dropping out_ , they got stuck in her throat. She knew Ichigo wasn't the type to judge but somehow, she felt like she was letting him down or maybe he would think she was just a quitter or worse a failure... She gripped her bag feeling like she was lying to him, but she just wasn't ready to tell him. She knew she would tell him soon but tonight she just wanted to enjoy the night with him without that gloomy detail.

"Ah, no it's fine really! I have no plans." She smiled hoping to convince him.

"Okay, come on."

Ichigo's smile widened for a moment looking down at the auburn-haired girl by his side. They walked together down the thinning crowd of the sidewalk. It felt like it had been weeks since he had last seen her not a few days. Right then it struck him how badly he was beginning to miss Orihime. Images of her were always taunting him around in his head, but it wasn't till recently that he was desiring her presence more and more.

"Oh, and I'll set out some brownies out for you and your family the next time you can make it in. Just let me know." Orihime's voice was cheerful and clear in the cold night. Ichigo's smile widened just a little more.

"Thanks, I can probably come in between classes tomorrow."

But not before long the small smile on Ichigo's lips slipped away when he recalled the odd interaction with her coworker. Thoughts of her having a boyfriend still lingered in his mind. He knew his feelings for Orihime were strong and there was no way he could ever stop them, but it wouldn't be right for him to force his feelings on her if she was already interested in someone else.

After a few moments he had to ask.

"So, does that Mokodo guy walk you home a lot?"

Orihime giggled.

"What?" He looked at Orihime out of the corner of his eyes.

"You are so bad with names." She laughed a little louder muffling the sound in her hand. " _Makoto_ walks me home every now and then when we have the same shifts. He's a nice guy."

"Oh…" He knew it shouldn't bother him. He was too busy with school and work to be able to walk her home often, and he knew Orihime could take care of herself, but he didn't like that another man was walking her to her apartment. He wanted to be the one to protect her, to take care of her…. "Well then… that's good."

Orihime observed the subtle furrowing of Ichigo's eyebrows and wondered what was bothering him. She hoped it wasn't guilt for not staying in touch and not knowing her new friends or maybe he simply didn't like Makoto. It had been so long since they really talked so maybe it was something else. After thinking it over she realized that perhaps Ichigo still thought he had to protect her and that's why he asked about Makoto walking her home. _Yeah that's it!_ She hit her fist in her hand proud of herself for finally able to discern his thoughts. She then made a mental note to let him know he had already fulfilled his vow to protect her long ago so there was no need to worry about her. Even if it turned out that wasn't the case, she still felt it was her duty to release him from all, if any, obligation he may think he had to her.

"You okay?" Ichigo had witnessed her strange behavior and became curious as to what was going on with her.

"Oh yeah! Sorry I guess I got lost in my thoughts… again." She giggled.

They entered the Kurosaki residence from the front door. Both toed off their shoes while hanging their coats and scarves on the nearby rack as a joyful Yuzu greeted them from the kitchen.

"Ichigo! Orihime, welcome back!" Ichigo had sent Yuzu a text saying he was bringing Orihime so they could wait to have dinner with her.

"Yuzu! Hi, thank you for having me over for dinner." She gave the younger girl a small bow.

"It's no trouble! We love having you over. Dinner will be ready in about 10 minutes."

Ichigo and Orihime nodded.

"I'm going to drop my stuff off in my room. Um… you okay down here?"

Now that his intentions with her were beyond friendship he knew it would be a different connotation to take her upstairs, so it wasn't as easy as it had been in the past to ask her up to his room.

"Yeah I'll be fine! I'll see if I can help Yuzu."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

Orihime smiled and walked into the dining area.

"Yuzu do you need any help?"

"No, I've got it! Thank you Orihime." Yuzu lit up at the sound of Orihime's voice. She couldn't quite explain the lightness she felt being in Orihime's presence or why her heart filled with warmth. All Yuzu knew for certain was that Orihime was kind and beautiful and nothing made her happier than seeing Orihime with her brother. She silently hoped they would start dating soon. Her heart picked up for a second… _maybe they already are!_ She internally did a happy dance and squealed.

Orihime took a seat at the table as she happily watched the young girl move around the kitchen doing some finishing touches to the food. She felt guilty not being able to do more. She was the guest after all so she thought she should have brought something for Ichigo's family. Her eyes scanned the kitchen looking for something useful she could do until it hit her. _Yes, that would be perfect!_

"Hey, Yuzu, do you think I could make some dessert?"

Yuzu beamed and nodded.

Ichigo who had been stuck on the phone with Kana who was still on another round of apologies, began wondering why he even answered her phone calls. After Ichigo finally assured her he was over it she let him go. He sighed closing his phone rushing to get back downstairs when he ran into Karin. They both made their way into the kitchen, the sound of Orihime and Yuzu giggling became more prominent as they entered the dining room. Both were met with the bubbly, carefree atmosphere that surrounded the girls. Orihime and Yuzu were washing a few mixing bowls and utensils.

"You two seem to be having fun." Karin grinned at Yuzu. Yuzu blushed ignoring her sister.

"Orihime made us dessert! It's the topping for a new dessert she created for her job."

"Oh really? Thanks, Orihime!" Karin was better at hiding her excitement but was just as happy as Yuzu to have the cheerful girl in their house.

"It was no problem! You are all kind enough to have me over so it's the least I could do." Orihime continued to smile brightly at the two girls.

Ichigo's sisters both began setting the table as Ichigo approached Orihime's side from the back.

"They like having you here."

Orihime jumped a little at the sound of Ichigo's voice and giggled.

"Well I like being here. They're very sweet."

Ichigo was glad Orihime fit perfectly into his family. She was a like a missing piece they didn't even know they needed. His eyes glanced to Orihime's smiling face and then down her body to her hand which hung relaxed by her side. He thought for a moment how easy it would be just to reach out and wrap his fingers around her slender ones. He wanted to close that distance… He wanted to-

A harsh slap to his back snapped him back to his senses.

"Shit…" He had his breath knocked out of him but in an instant turned around in a fury. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Son! Quit standing there like an idiot and show our guest to her seat!" Before Ichigo could respond, Isshin turned his attention to Orihime.

"Orihime it's so good to see you, dear! My look at you, you're looking as beautiful as ever!" He was about to pull her into a hug before Ichigo grabbed her wrist quickly drawing her away, his dad stumbled over.

"Eh, thank you Mr. Kurosaki…" Orihime smiled nervously.

"This is your seat Orihime." Ichigo pulled the chair out for her as he sighed sitting down. "I would apologize for his behavior but I think at this point you know he's a lunatic." He whispered as he leaned a little closer so she could hear him. Orihime giggled.

Dinner went on as always. Isshin and Ichigo bickered, Karin loudly intervened and Yuzu yelled at all of them right before smiling apologetically at Orihime for her their outbursts. Orihime as always just smiled and shook her head. She didn't mind.

In fact, Orihime adored watching Ichigo's family during dinner. They fussed a lot at each other, but she could see the love behind it all. These were always bittersweet moments for Orihime. She wanted to be teased, fussed at, and above everything else she wanted to be unconditionally loved. Yes she had her friends and of course Tatsuki, but it still wasn't the same as to what her and her brother had. The bond Sora and she had was one of the greatest loves she had ever felt and as she grew older, she was better able to understand the sacrifices Sora had made for her which gave her that much more love and respect for him. She felt alone a lot of the time so right now, being a bystander in the Kurosaki household was enough, for now at least.

Orihime brought herself out of her depressing thoughts thinking of her own future family and the types of silly routines they would have. Her heart tightened for a moment picturing an orange headed child with brown eyes. Her eyes widened surprised her mind went there. She quickly took a drink of water focusing her attention on Ichigo and his dad and shook her head. _They're so funny_.

Meanwhile the Kurosaki family observed the auburn-headed girl even through their good-natured fighting they all enjoyed hearing her giggle and the way she would tell Ichigo to not be so hard on his dad. Her presence reminded them all of one person they had all yet to admit out loud to each other.

After dinner Yuzu brought out the ganache that Orihime had made with bowls of strawberries, raspberries, and cherries. Everyone grabbed their own bowls spooning the chocolate glaze over the fruit.

Ichigo's dad had to head back to his office or so that was his story but Ichigo suspected he was just going to Urahara's to drink. Either way Isshin instructed Yuzu to save him some dessert. Yuzu of course complied.

Ichigo, his sisters, and Orihime made their way over to the living room. Karin flipped through the channels in search of a show that Orihime would want to watch. She found a TV show that had a lot of comedy in it and left it on there. Everyone knew Orihime's love for comedy and they all wanted to make her comfortable in their home.

Ichigo sat a respectable distance away from Orihime on the couch as they ate their dessert.

"It's delicious!"

"Wow Orihime it's so good I can't wait to try it on the brownies!"

Ichigo's sisters praised Orihime as they enjoyed every bit of the chocolate confection.

If Ichigo loved chocolate it didn't compare to how he felt about it now. He'd never tasted chocolate this creamy and smooth. The fruit added the right amount of tart to it.

Even Orihime herself was not immune to her own desserts. No matter how many times she made this recipe she still savored the chocolate goodness. She hummed happily eating and watching the show Karin had picked. Orihime was right to come here. It was way better than being at home, alone.

"It's really great Orihime." Ichigo mumbled between bites.

Orihime's cheeks pinkened as she thanked them for their kind words. She felt like it was the first day her brownies were on sale and she was becoming overwhelmed knowing her hard work was paying off.

Throughout the show Ichigo tried not to look at Orihime while she ate though. The first time he had looked over at her she was licking the chocolate off her index finger and then slipped the tip of her thumb into her mouth to suck the remainder off. He turned his head so fast before a groan could escape his throat. For the rest of the TV program he only stole a few glances to see her laughing and enjoying the show. His sisters too, would look over at her to ensure she was having a good time.

Orihime finished eating putting her bowl on the table next to Ichigo's. It was only a few moments later into the show she noticed how quiet the house had become. She looked around the room to see his sisters had left and it was just Ichigo and her. She glanced at Ichigo who was leaning back with his arms laying across the back of the couch. When she focused closer on his face, she saw a small bit of chocolate right below his lower lip.

Without giving it much thought she turned her torso towards him scooting her legs under her. Ichigo who had his eyes glued to the TV looked towards Orihime, who was now only a few inches away. Orihime sat up on her knees.

"You've got a little something…" She wiped off the bit of chocolate and unthinkingly licked it off her finger. The moment she realized what she did both her and Ichigo's eyes widened and a blush took over their entire faces.

"I-I-I-I'm so so s-sorry!" Orihime could not believe she just did that. She was sure she would die of embarrassment right there on his family's couch. She couldn't move. She wanted to run out of his house and blame it on her sleep deprived brain through text. Her breathing became difficult as her heart pounded loudly in her chest. She sat back on her legs until finally making a wobbly move to get up and escape the torturous silence.

"H-hey where are you going?" Ichigo held her by her wrist. She attempted to pull her arm back, but it was no use. He had a firm grasp on her. "I'm… I-it's fine… You don't have to leave."

Orihime looked away immediately biting her lip. _Why did I do that? I'm so stupid… and why is his hand still on mine?_

She turned to peek up at him and noted the tinge of pink on his own cheeks. He was now staring right at her and not really at her, but her lips! She inadvertently licked her lips and she could have sworn his eyes took on a darker gleam. Her face had so much heat, she was burning up and when her eyes finally landed on Ichigo's lips he leaned in. Orihime's eyes widened for a moment as her heart beat loudly drowning out all sound and thought, she could not comprehend what was going on, but she instinctively shut her eyes tight. After a few seconds passed while on the verge of hyperventilating her eyes fluttered open. She blinked a few times still panting into what was a dark room except for the light emitting from the TV.

Orihime sprang up clutching her chest realizing she had fallen asleep.

 _Oh no!_ She hung her head in her hands. She thought she was over having dreams like that. Her cheeks were on fire and there was no way the blush would recede any time soon. She shook her head not wanting to believe that her mind was betraying her by giving her these dreams. Dreams that were only and would ever only be dreams. They were friends after all and that's how they worked best.

Finding the courage to finally open her eyes she spread her fingers and looked around the living room to find Karin and Yuzu asleep quietly by her feet. It warmed her to see they had stayed with her. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket to see it was 10:30. She had to get home and get some sleep so she rose to her feet in search of Ichigo. The house was quiet and no one was in the kitchen so she headed upstairs.

"Ichigo?"

There was no answer. She kept going until she was outside Ichigo's bedroom door and heard the faint sound of his cell phone vibrating and ringing from inside. She knocked twice causing the door to open slightly.

"Hello?"

No answer. She pushed the door open a little wider and took a step inside. He wasn't in his room either. She felt like she was intruding being inside his room without his permission but after the cell phone stopped ringing and started up again, she figured it must be important and walked to his desk picking up the phone. She didn't recognize the name on the caller ID.

 _Kana_ , flashed across the screen.

The time on his phone now read 10:38. It seemed late for a classmate or friend to be calling. There could only be one reason… She gripped the phone a little harder as her stomach felt empty and sick. _No…_ Her thumb hovered over the answer icon. She didn't want to feel this way. If this was his girlfriend, she had no right to be mad or even jealous. Ichigo was just a friend no matter how she really felt about him. Orihime knew this day would eventually come but she supposed she would have had more time to deal with it. She blinked away the tears that wanted to collect in her eyes and sighed thinking maybe she couldn't be friends with him as easily as she had thought. She closed her eyes collecting her thoughts and took a deep breath, after all it could just be a classmate, no need to break down she halfheartedly thought. She figured if she answered the phone, she could easily find out for sure but before she could form another thought a familiar voice interjected startling her.

"Hey, so you like to sneak into people's rooms too."

* * *

A/N: Hey guys sorry I had to stop right there (lol) it was getting way too long for me and the next chapter is already at over 3K words so I hope to get that finished by the end of spring break. Thank you to everyone who has favorited and followed this story, and of course to the reviewers who inspire me to keep writing. Thanks. :)


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